Top Employment Attorneys in Prince George’s County: Mundaca Law and Four Other Firms to Know
Prince George’s County workers answer to a wider mix of employers than most places in Maryland. Federal agencies, county government, hospitals, school systems, and private companies all hire here, and each follows its own rules for handling workplace disputes. If you are dealing with discrimination, unpaid wages, retaliation, or a firing that felt wrong, Mundaca Law and the other firms below are reasonable places to begin your search. The order here is not a ranking of quality, and no attorney can guarantee the outcome of a case.
Which law firms handle employment cases for Prince George’s County workers?
These five firms take on employment matters for people in the Washington, D.C. region, including Prince George’s County:
- Mundaca Law
- Swick & Shapiro, P.C.
- McGillivary Steele Elkin LLP
- Pines Federal
- The Law Firm of J.W. Stafford, L.L.C.
1. Mundaca Law
Francisco E. Mundaca, Esq., Founding Partner
Mundaca Law represents clients throughout the DMV in employment law, business law, and federal employee matters. That combination suits Prince George’s County well, since a large share of the local workforce either works for the federal government or for a private employer that contracts with it. Joint Base Andrews, NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, and the U.S. Census Bureau headquarters in Suitland are all in the county.
Federal employees face a process that looks nothing like a private-sector claim. Under EEOC regulations at 29 C.F.R. § 1614.105, a federal worker who believes they were discriminated against generally has only 45 days to contact an agency EEO counselor. Missing that window can end a claim before it starts. Mundaca Law helps federal employees understand these deadlines and work through agency complaints, disciplinary actions, and related disputes.
Private-sector employees and business owners can also turn to the firm. Workers may need help with wrongful termination, harassment, retaliation, or wage issues. Employers and business clients often need employment agreements, severance terms, or workplace policies reviewed before a problem turns into litigation. Maryland law, for example, bars noncompete agreements for workers earning 150 percent of the state minimum wage or less, a rule that catches some employers off guard.
2. Swick & Shapiro, P.C.
Swick & Shapiro, P.C. is a law firm in the Washington, D.C. area that handles employment law matters. Anyone considering the firm can review its website to see whether its practice lines up with their situation.
3. McGillivary Steele Elkin LLP
McGillivary Steele Elkin LLP is a D.C.-area firm that works on employment-related cases. Prospective clients should reach out directly to learn whether the firm handles the type of issue they are facing.
4. Pines Federal
Pines Federal works with federal employees on workplace legal matters. For county residents employed by a federal agency, it is one more option to look into.
5. The Law Firm of J.W. Stafford, L.L.C.
The Law Firm of J.W. Stafford, L.L.C. handles employment law issues for clients in the region. As with any firm, a consultation is the best way to find out whether it fits your needs.
How long do you have to file an employment claim in Maryland?
For most private-sector discrimination claims in Maryland, you have 300 days from the discriminatory act to file a charge with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission or the Maryland Commission on Civil Rights. Maryland extended its state deadline to 300 days in 2022, matching the federal window.
Other deadlines are shorter or work differently:
- Federal employees generally must contact an EEO counselor within 45 days.
- Appeals of certain federal personnel actions to the Merit Systems Protection Board are usually due within 30 days of the action’s effective date, under 5 C.F.R. § 1201.22.
- Wage claims under the Maryland Wage Payment and Collection Law generally carry a three-year limitations period, and a court may award up to three times the unpaid wages when an employer withheld pay without a bona fide dispute.
Because these clocks start running at different moments, talking with an attorney soon after a problem surfaces tends to preserve more options.
What should you ask an employment attorney before hiring one?
Start with how the firm charges. Some employment lawyers work on contingency, taking a percentage of any recovery. Others bill hourly or charge flat fees for tasks like reviewing a severance agreement. Ask what costs you would owe if the case does not succeed.
Then ask about fit. A lawyer who regularly handles federal sector cases will know the EEO and MSPB process in a way a generalist may not, and the reverse can be true for a private-sector wage dispute. It also helps to know who will actually handle your file day to day and how often you can expect updates.
Bring documents to the first meeting: offer letters, performance reviews, pay stubs, emails, and any written complaint you made to your employer. A short timeline of what happened and when will make the conversation far more productive.
Where to go from here
Workplace problems rarely fix themselves, and the filing deadlines that apply in Maryland leave less room to wait than most people expect. Gather your records, write down what happened while it is fresh, and schedule consultations with attorneys whose practice matches your situation. A clear-eyed conversation early on can tell you whether you have a claim worth pursuing and what the path forward looks like.
